A Tangled Web of Beauty Part 9- Companions for All
by Starjargon
Summary: Bella Song thinks her father needs a full-time companion. So she and her companion ensure he and one Rose Tyler will travel together. Fluff, dash of romance, one-shot. K plus for kissing.


**A/N- I maintain this wasn't breaking my rule of no more until the others are finished because... well, it's a one-shot, and it's fun and...well...I couldn't help myself! Anyway- some of Adult Bella's shenanigans. And thanks again to the wonderful morganfm.  
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><p>"Tell me again, why are we doing this?" he said, following behind her as they tried to remain discreet, walking low to the ground and freezing in place periodically.<p>

"_Because_," Bella huffed, as though it were obvious, "we can't just keep "running into my dad" when he doesn't even know he's my dad yet. Though, I do like the disguises," she smirked, adjusting her spectacles and readjusting the wig on her head, "but he needs someone full-time, who will take care of him and stay, despite this one's sunny disposition. So we need to scout out possible full-time companions."

"But are you sure he's ready for one right now?"

"Of course I'm sure! I'm brilliant at timing." She rolled her eyes, even as her companion smirked, doing his best to hold in a chuckle at that statement. "Besides, we barely managed to escape that whole Kennedy fiasco- we need to make sure he has someone worth fighting for, even when he doesn't feel like it."

"Okay, but I don't know why we're going through this whole process. You already know who we need-"

"And you just expect me to just accept that easily, without doing the least bit of surveillance first?"

He sighed, defeated, then continued to lurk ridiculously with her, slithering and ducking in a manner Bella thought was spy-like, imitating her own ridiculous poses. He could have argued further, of course, but really- she was rather adorable when she believed she was being stealthy. Or thought she was some type of secret agent. He thought being looked after by an FBI agent would have taught her better, but she'd recently taken a fancy to ridiculous old detective films, and despite some of her better skills, her mother she was not. Her voice startled him as he surreptitiously righted the bin she'd nearly knocked over as she bumped into it.

"Ooh, she _is_ perfect," Bella exclaimed when she spotted the plucky shop assistant yelling at the man who'd cut her off as she went to work.

"I told you!" her partner boasted excitedly, caught up in the moment. She stuck her tongue out at him and his smug expression.

Then she smiled a feline smile, and together they slipped past the blue box that had gone unnoticed to nearly everyone who walked by.

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><p>She pulled her partner behind her into the shop, where he hung back and pretended to look around, conscious of timelines.<p>

"Hello," she said, beaming at the girl behind the counter.

"'ello," she was greeted. "Can I help you with something?"

"No," Bella's grin was serene as she looked at the young woman, "Not me. But I do have someone you _can_ help."

The girl raised her eyebrows at Bella warily, "Alrigh'...?"

"The thing is," she began, taking a deep breath and plunging ahead quite rapidly, "he's alone right now, and he's terrible at it. I've gone with him on a few trips, the Titanic, when he landed after the war, Dallas, places like that, but I don't want to risk messing with time anymore, especially if I don't have to. Last time I met him, he asked me to go with him, but I can't of course, so I promised him I'd find him someone brilliant to travel with full-time. I don't think he believed me, and his head's still so big he didn't even notice- but that's not the point. The point is, he's still hurting so much, and he doesn't know- can't know, really, but I think you'll be able to do him good and-"

"Sorry, but I don't understand what you're on about," interrupted Rose Tyler.

"Right," sighed Bella, realizing she'd just gone off on one of her famous rambles again. She took a deep breath, and kept her goal in mind. "Very soon, an angry, tired old man who needs someone in his life is going to come into yours."

"Wha-"

"And I know this because- well, because I'm going to make sure he finds you."

"Wai- What? Why?" Rose asked, confused and now wary, taking a step back.

"Because I've been looking for someone for him for a long time, and I watched you all morning, and _know_ you're just the person I've been searching for! Now, I'll be able to lead him to you, he's so easy when he's young, but when I do, I need you to stick with him- challenge him. He needs it. He believes the universe revolves around him, so he'll probably block nearly everyone else out. But, I think he'll like you. In fact, I'm positive he'll ask you along with him."

"Look, is this some weird prank and a big scary blok-"

"No!" Bella's eyes went wide when she realized how very much she was _not_ helping the situation. "No- listen, just... Very soon, someone's going to offer you the universe."

"Okaaaay," said Rose sceptically, now slightly amused at the young woman before her, who was clearly completely mad, yet still very sweet. She decided to humour her just a bit longer before calling for security.

"When he asks you, can you go with him? Please?" Bella asked, knowing Rose's future but still a bit nervous that she could persuade the young girl in front of her to go along with the Doctor.

"And who said I'd just go right along with any ol' bloke who asks? Who are you, anyway?" Rose asked suspiciously and slightly offended.

"He's... my father, even if he doesn't know it yet." Bella explained, cutting off any questions the girl might have about their wibbly timelines, not realizing that possibility probably would never enter Rose's head. Then, because she wasn't above a little manipulation to get her way, even if Rose wouldn't remember this conversation for a long time to come, she added, "Just- if you could go back and save your father, wouldn't you do it?"

"How did you-" Rose asked, eyes wide as she prepared to shout.

"Oh, I met Jackie before and we got to talking- you know how it is. Anyway, it's how I learnt about you to start with." Not technically a lie, but Rose didn't need to know about Jackie's influence on her life quite yet. "But, my dad's not ready for me, and he may not be for quite a while. So, I'm asking you to do what I can't. Will you save my daddy? Please?" she repeated, this time so sincere Rose could do nothing but nod her head, even if to give the clearly confused girl a peace of mind, mentally thinking she'd have to have a talk with her mum when she got home about strangers.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief, then a beautiful, wide smile broke out on her face.

"Thank you, Rose. I just know this is going to be fantastic!" She squealed, surprising the shop assistant by lunging forward and engulfing her in a big hug before quickly letting go and, with a spring in her step, walked away, grabbing her companion's hand as she dragged him out of the store, once more knocking over a dummy on her way out, which he righted swiftly.

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><p>"You got the times wrong, Bella," said her partner, fighting a grin but his eyebrows raised in laughter just enough that she glared at him.<p>

"Well, I saw the box! How was I to know it was a different him who'd landed there?"

"I'm just saying-"

She cleared her throat pointedly, hand on her hip and one eyebrow lifted in warning.

"... how endearing it is even when you're off by a few months?" he tried, biting his lower lip to keep his chuckles quiet. "Besides- I've checked and double checked and triple checked, and now we're on the exact day when they meet. So, you ready?"

She pouted for a moment more, before spotting the Doctor in his post-War incarnation as he ran around outside with his screwdriver out, trying to solve the newest Nestene mystery. He was honing in on their department store, and had just walked through the doors before closing.

_Time to set the stage_, thought Bella when they were in the Doctor's hearing range, ready to flee once her plan was in motion. She cued her companion to begin making a noisy disturbance. Then, she cleared her throat, ready to put on her finest, corniest performance before grinning mischievously and raising her voice dramatically so her father would hear her, just like he always did.

"Oh no! I think I've heard something fishy down in the basement! It's almost like the shop dummies are alive or something! If only there was someone I could call who could help!" She shouted, her grin wide when she saw a man in a leather jacket disappear down the stairs, shaking her head at his ridiculous single-minded focus and gullibility at this ruse.

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><p>The next day, when her companion and she had gotten away and stood watching the blonde girl yelling at the grumpy old man Bella's father had become, she smiled triumphantly.<p>

"She really will help him."

"I told you so," her partner input once more, a smug grin on his face as he looked down at Bella.

"Oi! Do we have to go over the rules again?!" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What rules are those?" he asked innocently, his smirk belying his tone.

"_My_ rules. My handy-dandy brilliant rules to travel with me."

"Ah- of course. Those rules," he said, staring at her pouting face fondly.

"Yes. And what was rule number one?"

"Never invite your father when grace and stealth are needed?" he taunted, remembering more than one time when the Doctor had given them away with his clumsy or attention-grabbing tendencies.

"No, that was rule 45."

'Oh, right. Then: lying is okay as long as it's done convincingly, and to other people who aren't you," he nodded confidently, winding her up even more.

"Nope," she huffed, "rule 19."

"Hmm. Well, I guess that only leaves no wandering off," his smirk grew wider as her frown grew deeper.

"You know, I could easily replace yo-" She glowered, about to cross her arms when he caught her hands, pulling her into him and lifting her chin as he bent down to rub her nose to his.

"No, you couldn't. Because who else would let you make rule one 'my wife is always right?'"

"Hmm. I always liked that rule," she said, looking up into his eyes with a wholly foolish and affectionate smile on her face.

"Mmm. I like rule number 3 better. The one that follows rule 2: 'when the wife's _not_ right, a row will ensue- which she must somehow inevitably and always believe she's won.'"

"I don't remember making that rule," she said indignantly, her eyebrow shooting up even as she stared at his very inviting lips.

"No, that one's for my own safety," he teased her with a smile.

"No, your own safety involves me knowing rule number three," she warned half- heartedly.

""Always kiss and make up,'" he grinned, finally bending down to demonstrate.

"I like rule number three," she whispered when they parted, her arms around his neck as she smiled up at him.

"It's my personal favourite," he said, leaning down to prove it to her once more.

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><p>They were so caught up in rule number three they didn't hear when someone came up behind them.<p>

"You know, I've seen kisses like that rewrite time," they heard a rough Scottish accent comment dryly.

Bella and her husband parted, a smile coming to her lips before she corrected, "No, Daddy. I think you mean restart time," She turned around and leant against her husband, who immediately settled his arms around her, as she grinned mischievously up at her father.

"Right. Rewriting time is what you're in danger of doing, Bells," said the Doctor with small growl of warning in his voice, indicating her interference at Henrik's.

"Oh, you needed her. Besides- I like her. I know you will too."

"Hmm, I will." He nodded, half-smiling in remembrance. "So, now that you two have found me a "_daughter_- approved replacement," he quoted, remembering their conversation from when she'd first informed him of her plans, "how would you two feel about keeping your old dad company for a bit?"

"Always, Daddy. Wait- what happened to Clara?"

"Oh, she's busy with her PE teacher."

Bella and her husband both rolled their eyes at that, simultaneously correcting him, "He's a _maths_ teacher."

"So you've met him?" he asks, eyebrows arched.

They both just shook their heads fondly, before Bella detached herself from her spouse's arms, reaching out to loop an arm through her father's, then beckoning her husband to join them.

"Oh, alright then. Where to, _Dad?_" he joked.

The Doctor scowled at him, before looking down at his little girl.

"You know, it's still not too late to change your mind about this one, Bells. Say the word and I'm sure we could lose him somewhere. The Medusa Cascade, perhaps?"

"Oh, Daddy, you know that'd never work. He'd always find a way to come back to me. Besides which, he's an _excellent_ kisser." With that she grabbed his hand, pulling him to her as she kissed him again. The Doctor grimaced and muttered grumpily, his daughter's arm still looped in his as the three of them walked to his ship.

"No hanky panky in the TARDIS!" he yelled, just as the doors closed behind them.

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><p><strong>AN- The identity of the husband was purposely kept a mystery, because that has to do with another story. And, I know, the conversation with Rose was a little...long. Also, after hearing the Doctor mention that last rule in a recent episode, I couldn't help including it. Hope you enjoyed, and please let me know what you thought!**


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